


puff puff pass

by ryoasukadidnothingwrong



Series: how relationships develop [1]
Category: Devilman (Anime & Manga)
Genre: 80s characterizations, Scene Alteration, and why ryo dropped out of school, just akira and ryo playin video games, late at night and wondering bout life, ryo's dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 06:41:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14075160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryoasukadidnothingwrong/pseuds/ryoasukadidnothingwrong
Summary: a couple of 14 year olds wondering if high school really is important.





	puff puff pass

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Expensive Taste](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13488387) by [Danganphobia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danganphobia/pseuds/Danganphobia). 



> just wanted to explore why ryo doesn't do school that much. some of the characterization of ryo is inspired by my fav ongoing fic, "expensive taste" omg i love conspiracy theorist ryo so much

“i got b’s this semester!”

ryo turns from the microwave to look over the half wall to the living room where akira sits on the floor in the dark. the blinking pause screen of _vandal hearts_ on the tv lights up his proud smile and the discarded snack wrappers littering the floor. he holds his report card in his hands.

ryo gives him a lazy thumbs up and pulls the blanket around his shoulders closer in the cold night. “i think i got d’s again.”

akira’s face falls and he shakes his head. “you couldn’t have. you had all those history classes.” akira scoots to face the kitchen where ryo stands, also in the dark. “and you’re great at history!”

ryo hums, tilts his head this way and that, looking up at the ceiling. akira watches him sway and shift and stroll around in a little circle, going nowhere. the popcorn in the microwave spins too, silently along with the buzz of radiation.

“‘’mnot that good at school,” ryo mumbles, watching the popcorn spin around. “don’t really see the point.”

akira has nothing to say. he’s watched ryo struggle with writing essays and studying for more than ten minutes before he got bored and begged akira to watch whatever torrented documentary he found the night before. he’s stayed up till the small hours of the morning, surfing the dark web for red rooms to hack into or listening to the newest government coverup from the states ( _reagan orchestrated the whole hostage situation, akira--_ ). there was always a new find, always a new candidate for the site of atlantis, of camelot, of eden. ryo felt at home in the corner of akira’s bed, leaning up against the wall, talking and talking for hours about ancient nuclear warfare and the like, his hands flying and his hair messy. akira simply listened.

“you’re so smart, ryo,” he offers, quietly.

the popcorn starts to pop, bringing ryo back from wherever he was in that head of his. he pivots on the heels of his socks to face akira again, and weakly shrugs. “dunno.”

“you could…” akira leans back on his palms, letting his head fall back and sighing deeply. “you could take some easier classes next semester. maybe.”

at the thought of going back to school, ryo’s stomach threatens to heave. “i don’t think--” ryo breathes a laugh and rubs his eyes, swaying again. “i don’t think i’m tryna finish high school, akira.” he says it slowly and quietly, trying the idea out, sifting through the first year of classes in his mind, racking his brain for anything-- _anything_ \--he learned. he thinks of his dad. “sometimes i think about just goin’ to field school instead.”

akira drums his fingers on the floor. “you could,” he says, matter-of-fact, already wandering to ryo’s plane to peru, ryo’s first dig, ryo’s first real find, ryo’s groundbreaking discovery, ryo’s spontaneous dissertation defense, professor asuka’s tenure track luxury job.

ryo breathes a laugh. “puff puff pass.”

“nah, i’m serious, ryo,” akira picks up his head and leans his elbows on his knees, looking at his friend in earnest. “you can do anything you want to. for _real_ ,” he slaps the carpet with both hands, eyes wide and dreaming. ryo appreciates it. but akira dreams a lot.

yet--

the microwave beeps, and ryo grabs the bowl from the counter and spins to refill it. he pops open the microwave door and thinks of how easy it would be to drop out. to apply for a volunteer job over the summer. to find somewhere cheap in lima. to just never come back.

“ryo,” akira touches his back and makes him jump. he spins around with a bowl full of hot popcorn, and looks into akira’s wide eyes, always watching him. “you _could_.”

ryo takes a deep breath through his nose and shuffles towards the living room. “guess so,” he murmurs, akira following behind him. “yeah. guess i could,” he muses, and signs out of school the next day.


End file.
